Human
by cardiffictionlocked1895
Summary: The evidence that he was one was few and far between. Basically a series of one- or two-shots, updates will be extremely spontaneous. AU. Adlock, JohnxMary, and possibly Sherlolly if I'm feeling masochistic. No slash. Mostly fluff. Standalone, but in the same universe as my story 'Rare Edition'.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I'm not really sure what I just wrote. R&R, people. Is it seriously that hard just to type out a few words? And if those words are insults, so be it. Btw, the titles of the stories within this one with have individual titles, 'Human' is just a general one. -JC_

Human

**Irene**

Inhale.

The icy road was nearly deserted. The last of the people from Scotland Yard were packing up to leave. Christmas was only in a few days, after all, and most of them were eager to get home to their families.

They didn't know how it had happened. Of course, I didn't doubt Sherlock would know soon enough, if he didn't know already.

Exhale.

Kate was dead. A stranger had found her this morning, half-hidden by the thick fog, lying in a ditch by the side of the road, the pieces of her car scattered across the asphalt.

Inhale.

The driver that had hit her had left, leaving my best friend's life bleeding out around her. Their bumper was among the wreckage.

Exhale.

Her skull was cracked, several of her ribs broken. There was long gash down her left arm with a thin, wickedly sharp sliver of glass sticking out of it. One of her legs ended in a bloody slump just below the ankle. My theory ran along the lines of the driver having hit her at full speed in the side of her car, and his car must have been strong- reinforced, perhaps- enough to send hers spinning into the ditch with only minimal damage on his own vehicle.

Inhale.

I'm not sure how long Sherlock was standing next to me before I finally acknowledged him. "You must think I'm so soft-hearted." I whispered. I coughed, but it did nothing to reduce the lump forming my throat.

"Not necessarily." His green eyes were bright the black and white backdrop of everything else. I shivered as the wind started to pick up, blowing with full force. Sherlock suddenly pulled me to his chest, tucking me against his warm body, his unbuttoned coat shielding me from the worst of the cold. "I might actually go as far as to show a little emotion as well if John died." He spoke without any infliction at all, but there was dark undertone that promised that he would much more than show a little emotion.

Exhale.

I didn't realize I was crying until I reached up to rub my eyes and my hand came away wet. He noticed too, but he didn't even attempt to shush me or tell me lies about how everything was going to alright, like the ones I had been hearing all day. He just held me close to him as I allowed myself a moment to be human.

I felt his lips brush my forehead, and I wondered not for the first time how Sherlock Holmes had it in him to be so d*** romantic. I had the feeling that all of this was simply instinct for him. He probably had no idea what he was doing.

And no idea that he was doing everything right.

-jADE


	2. Chapter 2

Almost

**John**

"You could have warned me."

"We were just _snogging,_ Sherlock. I don't know what your problem with Mary is, but this is crossing the line-"

My flatmate rolled his eyes in disgust. "'Just snogging'. You were making out, John."

"So you felt the need to shoot at Mary's head." My own voice was heavy with irritation. There was no way Mary would be coming back to Baker Street anytime soon. Of course, that was probably the outcome Sherlock had been hoping for when he fired my pistol at a point just above my fiancé's head, scaring the heck out of her.

"I come home and all I see is you eating _her_ face. Obviously I had to stop myself from being emotionally blinded."

"Well you _please_ stop referring to Mary as _her_? And I _was not_ eating her face."

He snorted, waving away my words. "Could have fooled me. When is the wedding again?"

"Two months."

"God help us all." Sherlock sighed deeply. "How am I supposed to pay the entire rent myself?"

I laughed without humor. "Do what ordinary people do. Get a job."

"And fill my mind up with pointless instructions that I never need again as soon as I'm fired for something stupid like being myself?"

"At least don't try to tell you're going to be lonely. I won't be spending all of my time with Mary. Besides, you've got Irene."

He sank into his chair. "Yes, but she isn't my assistant. Moreover, she doesn't have a blog with thousands of followers." Sherlock folded his hands together under his chin. "And we both know you'll be spending quite a lot your time with her, John."

I knew he was right. "Look, will you drop this if I let you have a cigarette?"

He held out his hand, staring at a spot on the wall, already out of it, and I pulled out the pack from under my chair cushion, passing him one. He lit it and pressed it to his lips, blowing out slowly. Blue-gray smoke hung in the air around my friend, making it hazy.

My stomach twisted as I watched him. The black lungs of so many dead smokers I had seen in my time as a doctor flashed in front of my face. Maybe bribing him wasn't the greatest idea. "Sherlock…"

He cut me off. "You're going to tell me smoking is deteriorating to my health, even though you were the one who gave me this. Stop being so hypocritical, John, and make up your mind already." With that, Sherlock dropped the cigarette and stomped it out calmly, and I wondered why he was suddenly so compliant.

"We've been through this before. I wouldn't be leaving Baker Street if I didn't have to…"

"I understand. Really, I do." He stood up, dusting off his shirt, avoiding my gaze. "I'll be in my room." Just before he went, he shot me one last glance, and there was a distant pain in his eyes.

It was days like that I almost regretted my decision. I almost wanted to call Mary and tell her that our engagement was off; that we weren't right for each other; that I needed to stay here to make sure Sherlock didn't go and get himself killed.

But almost is never enough.


End file.
